Garment stretcher



May ll, 1937.` F. L. WILSON GARMENT STRETCHER Filed May 28, 1936 4Sheets-Sheet l Inventor ZZMSWH Attorneys May ll, 1937. F. L. WILSONGARMENT STRETCHER Filed May 28, 1956 4 SheeS-SheefI 2 I t l InventorZ.]4fz7s'alz/ Attorneys May 1l, 1937. F, 1 WILSON GARMENT STRETCHERFiled May 28, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 .ialnlz/ Inventor Attorneys May 11,1937. F. L. WILSON 2,079,726

GARMENT STRETCHER Filed May 28, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I Inventor 7'73'5.

j ZSaIz/-f A orneys Patented 4May 1l, 1937 UNITED STATES GARMENT` FrankL. Wilson,

Application May l28,

1 Claim.

The present invention pertains to new and useful improvements in garmentystretchers and has for one of its important objects to provide, in amanner as hereinafter set forth, a machine of this character embodying anovel construction,

combination and arrangement whereby the garment may be subjected to theaction of steam to facilitate the stretching thereof, the inventionfurther including steam heating means for dry- '10 ing the garment aftersaid garment has been stretched.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a machineof the aforementioned character embodying novel means through the mediumof which a garment may be expeditiously and accurately stretched to thedesired size.

Still another very important object of the invention is to provide amachine of the character described comprising a plurality of stretchingbars, together with novel means for actuating said stretching bars.

Still another very important object of the invention is to provide agarment stretcher including a slidably and yieldingly mounted removablehanger for supporting the garments on the stretching bars. A

Other objects of the invention are to provide a garment stretcher of thecharacter set forth which will be comparatively simple in construction,strong, durable, highly efiicient and reliable in use, compact, light inweight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein like characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and whereinz- Figure 1 is a view in sideelevation of a garment stretcher constructed in accordance with thepresent invention.

Figure I2 is a View in front elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section through 4r, the housing on theupper portion of the machine showing, in side elevation, the lazy tongsoperating mechanism.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the lower portion of the machine. t

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through the lower portion of themachine.

Figure 6 is a detail view in elevation of the lazy tongs guide rod.

Figure 7 is a view in horizontal section, taken 5:, substantially on theline 1-1 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a detail view in top plan, showing the means for supportingthe clamping bars or jaws for substantially universal swinging movement,the cap being removed.

Figure 9 is a View in vertical section through,

STRETCHER Raymondville, Tex.

1936, Serial N0. 82,360

an intermediate portion of one of bars.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view through an intermediate portionof one of the stretching bars, taken at right angles to Figure 9.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises anannular base I from which a supporting frame 2 rises. Mounted on thesupporting frame 2 and spaced above the base I is an annular casing 3.The iront portion of the casing 3 is split, as at 4, and mounted in saidsplit 4 is a vertical bar 5. Pivotally mounted on the supporting frame 2are foot levers 6 and 'I which are operable ln the split 4 on oppositesides of the bar 5. Vertically elongated plates 8 are mounted on thecasing 3 adjacent the split 4, said plates being graduated and havingnotches 9 on their inner edges engageable by the foot levers 6 and 'Ifor releasably securing said foot levers in adjusted position. Mountedin the casing 3 is an annular perforated steam spray I0 which isconnected with a steam supply pipe Il, said spray I0 being controlled bya suitable valve I2. Also mounted in the casing 3 and connected to thesupply pipe II is a heating drum I3 which is provided with a drain valveI4.

. In the upper portion of the frame 2 are radial arms I5 on the innerends of which a vertical sleeve I6 is mounted. Adjustably mounted in thesleeve I6 is a tubular post which is designated generally by thereference numeral Il; The post I1 is secured in adjusted position byaset screw y I8. The post I1 comprises a plurality of sections which areconnected by couplings I9 to 24, inclusive. Mounted on the lower sectionof the tubular post I1, above the sleeve I6, is a sleeve 25, said sleevebeing vertically adjustable and secured in adjusted postition by anelongated set screw 26. Radiating from the sleeve 25 are arms 21 on theouter ends of which a covered substantially oval frame 28 is mounted.Projecting from one end of the frame 28 is a bracket 29 on which amultiple socket 3D is hingedly mounted, as at 3I. Mounted for swingingmovement on the member 30 are clamping arms 32 which are also coveredand which are adapted to coact with the substantially oval frame 28 forsecuring the lower end portion of the garment. The pivoted end portionsof the clamps 32 include headed Shanks 33 (see Figure 8) mounted in themultiple socket member 30. A stop 34 is provided on the bracket 29 forlimiting the swinging movement on the multiple socket member 30 towardthe frame 28. A coil spring 35 permanently connects the pivoted endportions of the clamps 32. The free end portions of the clamps 32 aredetachably connected by a coil spring 36 which is engageable with a hook31. Also mounted on the the stretching fi U ' sleeve 25 is asubstantially U-shaped guide 38 provided with a set screw 39 the purposeof which willbe presently set forth.

Collars 40 and 4I are slidably mounted on the tubular post I1 above andbelow the coupling 23. Pivotally mounted on the collars 40 and 4I arelazy tongs 42. Also slidably mounted on the post I1, above and below thecoupling 20, are collars 43 and 44 having mounted thereon lazy tongs 45.Coil springs 46 are mounted on the post I1 and engaged with the slidablecollars 40, 4|, 43 and 44 for yieldingly urging the lazy tongs 42 and 45toward 'retracted position. Pulleys 46 are connected to theslidablecollars 40 and 4I and trained around said pulleys are chains 41 and 48.

One end of the chains 41 and 48 is connected to the coupling 23. Theother end of the chain 48 is connected to the chain 41 at anintermediate point and the other end of said chain 41 is adjustablyconnected to the foot lever 6 through the medium of a hook 49. Pulleys50 are mounted on the slidable collars 43 and 44 and trained thereon arechains 5I and 52 which are connected, at one end, to the coupling 20.The other end of the chain 52 is connected to the chain 5I at anintermediate point and the other end of said chain 5I is adjustablyconnected to the foot lever 1' by a hook 53. Side stretching bars 54 aremounted on the free ends of the lazy tongs 42 and 45, links 55 beinginterposed between said y stretching bars and the lower lazy tongs 45.

As best seen in Figures 3 and '7 of the drawings, rods 56 projecthorizontally from the couplings 20 and 23 and mounted on the outer endportions 7 of said rods is a substantially cylindrical housing 51. Thehousing 51 is open at its lower end and closed at its upper end, as'at58. It will be noted that the housing 51 encloses the lazy tongsoperating mechanism,`such as the slides 46, 4I, 43 and 44, the coilsprings 46, etc. Further, the housing 51 is provided with vertical slots59 in which the lazy tongs 42 and 45 are operable. Extending between therods 56 on one side of the post I 1 is a guide rod 60 which is engagedbetween pairs of ears 6I which project from the slidable collars 4| and43. The reference numeral 62 designates a removable garment hanger whichis slidably mounted on the upper end por- .tion of the post I1 above thehousing 51. A coil spring 63 yieldingly supports the hanger 62, saidcoil spring resting on the coupling 24.

The rods 56 project through the housing 51 and mounted on the outer endsthereof are brackets 64 on which front and back bars 65 and 66.respectively. are mounted. The brackets 64 include hinges 61 to permitswinging-move ment of the bars 65 and 66. It may be well to here statethat the bars 54, 65 and 66 are of suitable resilient material. Further,these bars comprise upper and lower metallic strips 68 and 69,respectively, which are riveted together and which are enclosed in acovering 'I0 of suitable naterial. The reference numeral 12 designates.

a chain having its upper end connected to the post I1 by a hook 13. Thelower end of the chain the frame 28 secured in the desired position onthe post Il, the lower portion'of the garment is secured vto said frameby the clamps 32. The valve I2 may then be opened for the purpose ofdischarging steam upwardly from the annular spray head I0 into thegarment. The reference numeral 14 designates a iiexible conduit for thesteam having its upper end secured to the frame 28 and its lower endsecured to the casing 3. To move the side stretching bars 54 outwardlythe foot levers 6 and 1 are swung downwardly and by observing thegraduations on the plates 8 the garment may be conveniently andaccurately stretched to the desired size. Attention is here invited tothe fact that the construction and arrangement is such that the upperand lower lazy tongs 42 and 45 may be independently actuated.

Further, the stretching bars 54, 65 and 66 are shape of the garment. Forexample, the lower steel strips 69 are comparatively stiil' to expandthe lower portion of the garment below the hips to its fullest extent.After the stretching operation has been completed the valve I2 is closedto shut oif the steam from the spray head I0 but the garment ispermitted to remain on the machine for a length of time suicient to bedried by heat from the steam drum or cylinder I3. By means of the valveI4 condensation may be conveniently drained from the drum or cylinderI3.v After being thus dried the garment may be removed from the machineby releasing the clamps 32, retracting the bars 54 and then lifting thehanger 62 off the post I1.

It is believed that the many advantages of a garment stretcherconstructed in accordance with the present invention will be readilyunderstood, and although a preferred embodiment of the machine is asillustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in thedetails of construction and in the combination and arrangement of partsmay be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed is:-

A garment stretcher of the class described, comprising, in combination,a base, a supporting structure mounted on said base, a casing mounted onsa-d supporting structure, a pair of foot levers plvotally mounted onthe supporting structure, the casing having a vertical opening thereinaccommodating the foot levers, means on the casing engageable by thefoot levers for releasably securing said foot levers in adjustedposition, a vertical post mounted on the supporting structure, ahorizontal frame adjustably mounted on the post, a iiexible conduitextending between said frame and the casing, lazy tongs mounted on thepost, means operatively connecting certain of the lazy tongs to one ofthe levers for actuation thereby, means operatively connecting the otherof said lazy tongs to the other lever for actuation thereby, bars forstretching a garment mounted on the lazy tongs, clamps for detachablysecuring the lower portion of the garment to the frame, means in thecasing for discharging steam upwardly through the exible conduit intothe garment, a steam drum mounted in the casing for heating and dryingthe garment, and a slidable hanger for the garment yieldingly mounted onthe upper end portion of the post.

FRANK L. WILSON.

